Theft alarm for attache cases and similar articles



H. ADLER Filed Oct. 18, 1935 THEFT ALARM FOR ATTACH CASES AND lSIMILAR ARTICLES` April 28, 1936.

Patented Apr. 2s, 1936 1 2,038,625

UNITED STATS PATENT OFFIQE.

THEFT ALARM FOR ATTACH CASES AND SIMLAR ARTICLES l Harry Adler, Mile End, England Application October 18, 1933, Serial No. 694,124 In Great Britain November 9, 1932 2 claims. (o1. 177-316) This invention relates to theft alarms for bottom of the case 8, if desired, in a metal casing attach cases and similar articles, of the kind to prevent interference from the exterior. having an alarm system housed within the case Two switches are employed in the present em- Which is adapted to operate as soon as the case bcdiment as shown in Fig. fi.Y Both of these 5 is lifted from a support or snatched from the switches are adapted to` be restrained in open 5 person carrying it in order to bring into action pesition and unless one or the other is maintained an electric buzzer or similar audible device so open by external means, the alarm will sound. that a Warning is instantly given when the case It is, of course, only necessary that one of the is lifted or taken from the owner. switches be kept open in order to prevent the l The alarm system in accordance with thisinsounding of the alarm. One of the switches is l0 Vention comprises a main circuit incorporating located in the base of the case, and the other a buzzer or the like, and a relay circuit incorin the handle. The base switch d (Figure 3 porating one or more switch devices the operaespecially) consists oi a plunger 9 of insulating tion of any one switch or all of them simultamaterial, the heed lll 0f Which iS adapted t0 he l5 neously functioning to complete the relay circuit, held away from a fixed contact element I I when 15 completion of the relay circuit completing the depressed, e. s. When the CaSe iS at rest upon a main circuit which remains in the operative concounter or the like, so as to keep the relay circuit dition even when the relay circuit has been b open. As soon as the case S is lifted the head opened. le of the plunger 9 is drawn on to the contact A preferred form of the invention is illustrated ll by Spring influehe, the plunger 9 Jthereby as- 20 in the accompanying drawing whereinzsuming its normal position which is that of Figure l is a vertical sectional elevation of a Completing the relay Circuit bcase tted with the alarm system, The handle switch e (Fig. 1) consists of a but- Figure 2 is a plan of same from beneath with ton I2 connected to a contact strip I3 which is the case bottom removed. adapted to bear upon a second contact strip I4 25 Figure 3 is a detail View of the case switch, when the button l2 is unrestrained by hand. and During use the button I2 is depressed by the Figure 4 is a circuit of the alarm system. hand to separate the two contact strips I3, I4

Referring to the drawing there is provided in thereby keeping the relay circuit b open. The

the main circuit a, a, a, the electro-magnet I wires |30, I4c connecting the strips I3, I4 to the 30 of a relay which also includes the armature 2 system are located in the other two thick corner and contacts 3, 4, which are closed when the seams of the case 8 or in some other parts equally armature is attracted. The electro-magnet I is resistant to destruction. In the event of the case also included in the circuit b, b, b so that when being snatched away the button I2 when released such circuit b is closed the electro-magnet I is by the hand of the person carrying it is moved 35 energized, therebyA causing same to attract the under pressure of the springiness 0f the strip I3 armature 2. The attracted armature 2 closes the to bring it to bear upon contact strip I4, thereby two contacts 3, 4 thereby completing the main closing the relay circuit. The spring strip I3 has circuit a which maintains the armature 2 in the suiicient strength t0 IeSiSll Operation under the attracted position so that the buzzer 5 which is mere weight 0f Carrying the Case 0r under the 40 included in the main circuit d continues to cp- COnditiOns Which exist by the grabbing or grasperate after the relay circuit b has opened. A pair ing 0f the handle befOIe actuel lifting by a persen of 'batteries 5, 3 is provided for the main and unfamiliar with the fact that the case is prore/lay circuits- The lock or locks 1, 1, provided tected by the alarm system of my invention. Un-

on the attach case 8 or the like, are of strong der normal condltlons of grabbing 01' grasping 45 construction and connected together electrically tte lndle there will not be Sumcent fome ap' and with the mam and relay circuits a and b p 1e o open the contacts between the strlps i3 d I4. The operative who is familiar with the so that the system 1s rendered inoperative when an the 100k or any one of the locks is Opened. operatlon of the alarm system 1s careful to exert pressure enough on button I2 to maintain 50 The Wlres 1 1c connectmg the locks 1 1 to the the contacts carried by strips I3 and I4 in open eOmDOnentS 0f lille System are preferably located position, but anyone unfamiliar with the case will in two of the tinck @Omer Seems 0f the Cese 0r not be apprises of the feet that button l2 must 1n some other Darts equally reSlSiall t0 deSl'fTuC- be depressed to prevent sounding of the alarm. t1on. The alarm components are housed in the That is to say, when anauthorized person is 55 carrying the case and grasping the handle of the case he is aware that it is essential to depress button I2 to prevent operation of the alarm.

The alarm components are accommodated within the case 8 beneath a false bottom I5, the buzzer 5, magnet I and armature 2 and base switch d being housed in a compartment I6 and the batteries 6, 6 in a second compartment I'I, accessible from the case interior through a hinged flap I8. Perforations I9 are provided in the bottom 20 of case 8 for emission of sound from the buzzer 5.

1. In combination, a case having a cover and a lock therefor, including a switch opened when the lock is unlocked, a handle for the case, a switch disposed in the handle and including a pair of Contact strips and an actuating button adjacent thereto, said contact strips having such resilience as will resist normal forces of lifting or carrying said case, said contact strips being normally closed but separable under conditions of manual force applied to said button, a second switch in series relation with said rst switch and having means for maintaining it open when the case is placed upon a support, a main circuit including a source of potential, an alarm device and said lock controlled switch, another circuit including each of said rst two switches and an electromagnetic switch, the actuating coil of which is in shunt with the alarm device and in series with the rst three switches and the source of potential, the contactsof said electromagnetic switch being in series with the alarm device and source of potential, whereby when the case is lifted from its support the closing of the circuit of said coil will be eiected and the electromagnetic switch maintained closed as long as the lock switch remains closed.

2. In combination, a case, a handle therefor, said case having incorporated therein a main circuit, an audible signal included insaid circuit, a second circuit, a plurality of switch devices included in the second circuit, a lock for said case including contact elements disposed in a path common to each of said circuits, means responsive to the completion of the said second circuit for completing the main circuit, and means connected with said main circuit and operative to maintain the said main circuit active when the said second circuit is subsequently interrupted by either of said switch devices, said main circuit being rendered inactive by opening said lock and the contact elements associated therewith, one of the second recited switch devices being disposed in said handle and including a pair of contacts and an actuating button adjacent thereto, such contacts tending to resist normal forces of lifting or carrying the said case, and said contacts being normally closed but separable under condi tions of manual force applied to said button.

HARRY ADLER. 

